< Back Mekwan Tulpin Mekwan Tulpin Cree Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete/Builder 2024 Mekwan Tulpin continues to make HERstory today in both women’s field and box styles alongside an evolving sisterhood at provincial, national and international levels of play. She became the first Mushkegowuk Cree from Treaty 9 Territory to compete on the World Cup stage in lacrosse, while exploring her Belgian roots. As the daughter to Mary Jane Metatawabin and Leo Tulpin, she was born and raised mainly in Simcoe, Ontario. Living on Six Nations of the Grand River territory since 2010 has influenced her continued involvement within this high-impact sport for years to come. Tulpin’s current pursuit looks promising as the designated captain to the Haudenosaunee Nationals team with a roster compiled for evaluations at Utica’s 2023 LAXNAI tournament. Athletes making final selections will compete at an inaugural women’s division within World Lacrosse’s 2024 World Box Lacrosse Championships. With the Grand River Attack, she co-captained seven provincial championship titles over a 12+ year span. This includes being named to an All-Star team the past four consecutive years within Canada’s newly titled premier league, Women’s Major Series Lacrosse. As positive momentum across Turtle Island continues in favour of women’s lacrosse participation, campaigns like #Team88 and #WellnessWarrior, and the Women’s Global Box Lacrosse Network have recognized Mekwan as a lead ambassador for major games events. Throughout the years, the power of sport has instilled a desire to help motivate, raise competencies, and promote confidence-building skills amongst youth, as such were foundational to her own personal achievements, growth, and leadership qualities. Mekwan has been sought for coaching and facilitation opportunities through groups such as Turtle Concepts; Haudenosaunee/Iroquois Lacrosse Program; Anishnaabe Baggadowewin; Great Lakes Cultural Camps; Right to Play; Indigenous Sport & Wellness Ontario; Canadian Women in Sport; and more are on the horizon. <Back

< Back Lew Boyd Lew Boyd Menominee Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete/Coach 2026 Working out of the backyard of the legendary boxing coach Alex Askenette on the Menominee Indian reservation, Lew Boyd started his amateur boxing career as a 112 lb. flyweight in 1965. From 1966 to 1970, Lew won his first open division Wisconsin Golden Gloves boxing championship in the featherweight (126 lb.) division, later in the junior welterweight (139 lb.) division and 147 lb. division earning trips to respective national tournaments. In 1970 he won the International Boxing League box-off in the 147 lb. division. In 1973, Lew Boyd retired from boxing competition with a 76-6 record and began training youth for competition. In 1984, Lew landed a spot on the U.S. State Department’s seven-man African coaching delegation. Under the auspices of the U.S. Information Agency, Boyd was chosen to assist six other U.S. coaches and boxing planners to establish coaches/training camps in Lagos, Nigeria and Nairobi, Kenya. With their sights on the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California the seven man U.S. coach’s delegation trained 32 African nations for the 1984 Games. A break in games coverage saw Howard Cosell narrate a special segment on the African coaches/training camps held earlier that year. Upon his return from the African tour, Lew signed contracts with the United States Sports Academy out of Mobile, Alabama for 1984 and 1985. The Island of Borneo in Southeast Asia was Boyd’s first destination and he began training members of the Brunei Darussalam boxing squad. Honored to meet and shake hands with the Sultan of Brunei, Lew was later selected as head coach of the Brunei Olympic Boxing Team. Within six months, Boyd would become a member of the Nation of Brunei Olympic Committee. With assistance by the Nation of Brunei military, Brunei boxers won one silver medal and one bronze in the 1985 Southeast Asian Independence Games. Upon conclusion of the games, Lew Boyd would be voted by Brunei coaching peers as one of two coaches to receive the Brunei Cannon Award as the Most Promising Coach Award. In 1985, Lew also participated in Operation Gold training camps in Baguio, Philippines and assisted in training amateur boxers in Bangkok, Thailand and Jakarta, Indonesia. <Back

< Back Connor Church Connor Church Métis Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2025 Connor Church is a distinguished Métis athlete who proudly represents the Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF). Born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Connor moved to Montreal, Quebec at 18 years old to pursue his dream of representing Canada at the Olympics. Wrestling in the 79kg weight class, Connor has achieved remarkable success, becoming a four-time national champion, with two titles in the U20 division and two in the senior division. Church has competed in three World Championships and two Pan American Championships, where he earned a silver and bronze medal. In 2022, he represented Team Quebec at the Canada Games, emerging victorious in the 76kg weight class. Inspired by his father, who introduced him to the UFC, Connor became a huge fan of Georges St-Pierre. Watching a fellow Canadian dominate the world of MMA with his perfectly timed takedowns ignited the passion for wrestling. As a two-time Tom Longboat Award winner, Connor has been celebrated for his athletic accomplishments and dedication to his Indigenous heritage and community. His journey to success was highlighted by becoming a U Sports National Champion as a standout member of the Concordia wrestling team. Looking ahead, Connor is focused on his goal of representing Team Canada at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, driven by his love for the sport and desire to inspire fellow indigenous athletes. He is determined to leave a lasting legacy in wrestling and within his community. <Back

St. Croix Ojibwe Michael Thomas St. Croix Ojibwe Induction Category: Year Inducted Official 2022 <Back Michael Thomas is a Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) basketball official for 27 years, officiating the State Tournament for 11 years with two championship games. He started officiating basketball for all Native American basketball tournaments and quickly worked his way to MSHSL and up to the varsity level. The highlight of his career is officiating for Native youth that make it to the State Tournament. Michael has been involved in many different sports as a player himself, coach or official. Personal highlights include winning the State Championship in boxing and on to Nationals in Reno Nevada. Scoring 67 points in a single basketball game at the Minneapolis American Indian Center. Coaching his grandkids and great grandkids in multiple sports, with many championship trophies to prove it. Michael served in the US Army for three years and has done honor guard at Pow Wows as a veteran. He sang on his father’s drum, Minneapolis Ojibwe, with his brothers for many years, he is an avid deer hunter and was a postal carrier for 32 years. Michel is most proud of the family he raised with his wife, Debra who he has been married to for 46 years.

Terry Ware <Back Kiowa Induction Category: Year Inducted Coach 2026 Terry Ware has been a classroom teacher and coach for over 37 years coaching high school basketball, baseball, football, track and field, and cross country at Riverside Indian School in Oklahoma. During his 37 years at Riverside, he has coached 20 high school All-State selections including one high school All-American in Track and Field and Cross-Country and coached 15 Oklahoma Class All-Stars in track and field, baseball, and basketball. He has 200 total wins across multiple sports, 25 State Tournament appearances, 23 District Championships, and 16 Regional Championships. He has assisted with sending 21 athletes to NCAA Division II and III programs, 25 to NAIA schools, and 14 to junior colleges on athletic scholarships. As the associate head coach for the Riverside Indian School Special Olympics boys basketball team, which he helped build the program, he won nine high school Special Olympics state championships from 1989-1998. He also coached Team Oklahoma’ Special Olympics All-Native American high school team in the 1998 World Games in North Carolina. Along with being a teacher/coach on the field, he has served as an elementary classroom teacher, tutor, and faculty sponsor who has been instrumental in guiding and serving as a mentor to Native youth in all grades. As a mentor and knowledge keeper, Terry Ware is instrumental in providing weekly pow wow singing and lessons to the local community as a way to guide and provide critical Indigenous knowledge for our up-and-coming Native youth leaders.

Malcolm Blacksmith <Back Sioux Valley Dakota Nation Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2025 Malcolm Blacksmith has been a lacrosse coach for the past 25 years. He started his lacrosse coaching career in 2000 in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. He started working with families in the north central area that were in low income status. He also worked with the Regina Sports Council getting equipment for the kids. Blacksmith started a novice team and called them Warriors Lacrosse. He worked on getting his coaching certificate for Level 2 box lacrosse, so he could coach at the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG). He was the coach of Team Saskatchewan for a number of years. In 2004 he and others started getting a lacrosse team to take to NAIG 2005 in Colorado, but didn't have enough time to get ready. They turned their box lacrosse team into a field lacrosse team instead and represented Saskatchewan at nationals that year in August. In 2008 he coached Team Saskatchewan at NAIG when it was held in Cowichan, British Columbia. In 2011 he started coaching midget and junior lacrosse for Sagkeeng First Nation about two hours north of Winnipeg. In 2012 he started coaching for Team Manitoba U16, and U19 lacrosse teams. In 2014 he took U16 and U19 lacrosse teams to Regina, Saskatchewan where NAIG 2014 was held. The team came home with the bronze medal for U16 team. In 2015 the Manitoba Aboriginal Sport and Recreation Council held its annual awards day and during the Night of Champions Awards Ceremony he received the Male Aboriginal Coach of the Year award. In 2017 he took Team Manitoba to Toronto NAIG 2017. In 2020 they were to go to Halifax, Nova Scotia for NAIG 2020 but Covid hit the world. The team attended NAIG 2023 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

< Back Janee’ Kassanavoid Janee’ Kassanavoid Comanche Nation of Oklahoma Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Janee’ Kassanavoid, member of the Comanche Nation of Oklahoma, is the daughter of Janet and Ron Kassanavoid. Youngest of 6 siblings, she grew up with three all NCAA Division I athletes. Born and raised in Lawson, MO and graduated from Lawson High School. A multi-sport athlete, lettering in softball, volleyball, basketball, and track & field. In 2013, Janee’ attended Johnson County Community College on a Track & Field scholarship for one season. She became an Indoor NJCAA Runner-up in the weight throw and an Outdoor NJCAA Champion in the hammer throw. In 2014, she attended Kansas State University on a Track & Field scholarship, becoming a 3x Big 12 Champion and a 4x All-American during collegiate career. She is the current K-State weight throw 21.81m (71.60 feet) and hammer throw 68.21m (223.09 feet) school record holder. In 2018, Janee’ graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics. She is currently a professional Nike Track and Field athlete, representing Team USA and as a Nike N7 ambassador she is representing culture and sharing the journey to gold as a Native Athlete. A history making moment was becoming the first Indigenous woman to medal at the World Athletics Track and Field Championships by claiming the bronze medal. Her personal best throw with the hammer was 78.00m (255.91 feet) becoming the third best in the USA All-Time and the sixth best in the World All-Time. This throw in May was named the USATF Athlete of the Week honors. Janee’ was the 2022 Indoor National weight throw Champion and the 2022 Outdoor National runner-up in the hammer throw. Closing out the 2022 season, claiming the GOLD medal as the NACAC Champion in the hammer throw. As an elite athlete competing on the biggest stages; the main goal is to inspire and empower the next generation of athletes. She is continuing to break barriers, to be a leader and pave the way for youth, women, and fellow natives both on and off the field and to create spaces where we never thought were possible before. Photos: 2022 World Athletics Track and Field Championship Hammer Throw Bronze Medalist First Indigenous Woman to medal at the World Athletics Track & Field Championships; Photographer: Getty Images <Back

< Back Abby Roque Abby Roque Ojibwe Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Abby Roque grew up in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and is Ojibwe from Wahnapitae First Nation. She grew up playing boys hockey in Michigan, and competed in two U18 Women’s Worlds winning a gold and silver medal. She then went on to play NCAA Division 1 hockey at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Roque and the Wisconsin Badgers won a National Championship in 2019, and multiple WCHA league championships. Individually she won WCHA Rookie of the Year, WCHA First Team, WCHA Player of the Year, and was Top-3 for the Patty Kazmaier Award. She graduated from the Business School at the University of Wisconsin with a degree in marketing. She made the USA national team in 2019 and has been a mainstay ever since. In her USA Hockey career she was named the 2020 USA Hockey’s Women’s Player of the Year. She has also competed in three IIHF Women’s World Championships, winning Gold once and Silver twice. She was the first indigenous player to play for Team USA in the Olympics, winning a silver medal in the Beijing 2022 Olympics. <Back

Ryan Salmon Ojibwe Induction Category: Year Inducted Builder 2024 <Back Ryan Salmon's journey in the world of volleyball began on the beaches of Southern California, where he first discovered his deep passion for the sport. Starting from those humble beginnings, he embarked on an impressive collegiate career, representing UNLV and Kendall College. It was during his time at Kendall College that his commitment to both academics and athletics flourished, earning him recognition as an All-American athlete, and playing a pivotal role in his college team's successes on the volleyball court. Following his graduation, Salmon's devotion to volleyball led him to explore the world as he pursued a professional career in the sport. The California beach culture, which initially ignited his passion, remained the driving force behind his remarkable journey and continued to inspire his dedication to the game. Beyond his achievements in volleyball, Salmon, alongside his wife, Nicole, holds the significant role of Directors at the Minnesota Juniors Volleyball Club. In this capacity, he leverages his extensive knowledge and experience to nurture young talent, providing aspiring athletes with the opportunities and guidance needed to reach their full potential. Through his leadership, Salmon plays a crucial role in shaping the future of volleyball in Minnesota. Furthermore, Salmon's contributions extend beyond the volleyball court. He serves as the Tribal Liaison for the White Earth Nation, a role of great importance. In this capacity, he forges connections between the tribe and external organizations, working tirelessly to preserve the heritage, traditions, and values of the White Earth Nation. His unwavering dedication to his community's well-being has a profound and far-reaching impact.

Onondaga Redhawks 2014 President’s Cup Champions Team 2026 Induction Category: Year Inducted <Back Team Roster: Ross Bucktooth-G, Edmund Cathers-G, Cameron Simpson, Lee Nanticoke, Kevin Wilkerson, Andy Jamieson, Pete Benedict, Luke Thompson, Grant Bucktooth, Neal Powless, Wade Bucktooth, Dustin Hill, Dave Stout, Kevin Bucktooth Jr., Trevor Clark, Brett Bucktooth, Hiana Thompson, Mike Abrams, Jeremy Thompson, Vince Thomas, Tyler Hill, Drew Bucktooth, Lyle Thompson, Miles Thompson, Orris Edwards, OAC Manager: Melissa Rank, Trainer: Sonny Shenandoah, Equip. Manager: Emerson Shenandoah, Ball Boys: Gavin Hill and Brett Bucktooth Jr., Coach: Ed Shenandoah, Coach: Brian 'Lab' Phillips, Support Staff: Mike Abrams, GM: Shirley Hill

< Back Scott Murray Scott Murray Oneida Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete/Coach 2025 Scott Murray was born on November 25, 1955, in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, living there until the age of 10 before his family moved to Grafton. During his time at Grafton High School, he was a two-time All Conference stand out athlete who lettered in five sports: basketball, baseball, golf, cross country, and track. Scott attended Milton College where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation Management. He was a three-year starter in basketball, scored 1,000 points in his college career and was selected as an All-WICA and All-District collegiate athlete. During his college basketball career, he was invited to play in Costa Rica and later played professional basketball in San Jose, Costa Rica. During his off time in Costa Rica, he was an English teacher. Scott was later inducted into the Milton College Hall of Fame. Scott’s college coach, Dale Race, who coached hundreds of student athletes in his long career, made it clear that number 11 was one of his finest student athletes ever, both on and off the court. He said in his 40 years of coaching, Scott was one of the best, Scott Murray was a champion. For many years, and up to the time of his death on December 18, 2015, Scott was the Area Manager of Fitness and Recreation for the Oneida Nation where he is an enrolled member. In addition to his important role in fitness and recreation, Scott was the well-loved and longtime Head Boys Basketball Coach at the Oneida Nation High School. He also coached the Wisconsin Boys Basketball team at the Native American Indigenous Games where they won the Gold Medal twice. While Scott was an exceptional athlete in high school, college, and at the recreational level, it was not without having to overcome an amazing challenge in life. Early in his high school years, Scott lost three fingers in a shop class. In spite of that traumatic experience his athlete resume’ was amazing. In his post high school and professional basketball years, he continued to be an outstanding recreational athlete regularly competing in basketball, softball, and golf. While competing locally and nationally, Scott was a part of many local and national championships which included three National Championship titles at the National Indian Athletic Association (NIAA) 40 and over tournament. He was selected as the Co-MVP at the 40 and over national NIAA Championship in 1999. Scott Murray passed away on the worksite doing what he loved to do. As the Area Manager of Recreation, Scott took the Nation to another level while constantly working towards making our Nation a better place. Whether it was empowering our youth to become great student athletes or building our future in recreation and sports, Scott cared about the Oneida Nation community. The Oneida Nation Fitness Center gym is now named the Scott Murray Gym in honor of his commitment. <Back

< Back The Richards/Rush Sisters The Richards/Rush Sisters Mvskoke Creek Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2026 The Richards/Rush sisters have all competed and won national titles in the sport of competitive cheer. Competing at the highest level, they have trained countless hours for years to earn national titles at the All-Star National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) and The Summit. Gabrielle’s (Gabby) athletic career began in Miami, FL at Top Gun All Stars. While at Top Gun she earned three national titles. In her senior year, she moved to Tulsa, OK and competed on the Super Varsity team at Union High School. More than just the titles, Gabby’s athletic career set the bar for her younger sisters in the sport of cheer and inspired them to follow in her footsteps. Today, Gabby continues to inspire and coaches at Cheer Athletics Frisco. Giselle (Gigi) and Danielle (Dani) began tumbling training in Tulsa, OK at the ages of nine and ten at Luxe Athletics. In 2017, accomplished one of the most difficult of feats, by winning both an NCA title and The Summit. Gigi went on to cheer at the University of Oklahoma, and both cheered at the Worlds level (the highest level) at Cheer Athletics Plano, the largest cheer gym in the world. Isabelle (Izzy) began training at age nine. In 2021, she tried out for Cheer Athletics Plano. With Cheer Athletics Plano, she won NCA in 2024 and won The Summit in 2023 and 2024. In the 2024/2025 season she was placed on a Worlds level team, where she competes today. She was offered 15 college cheer scholarships but hopes to follow in her sister’s footsteps and cheer at the University of Oklahoma. Annabelle (Anna) is the youngest and has quite literally been cheering almost as long as she has been walking. Her sisters have taught her flying by putting her up in the air and teaching her flexibility. According to her coaches, she is the most flexible flyer at Cheer Athletics Plano, and fearless in the air. Anna has already won three NCA titles in her young career and placed third at The Summit in 2024 out of 63 teams. <Back